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Ministerial Entry Permit

SamoaSpecial cases

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Samoa Read the five questions ↓

What exactly is the official special programme/status and why does it exist?

This route is the Ministerial permit, one of four entry-permit types that Samoa Immigration administers under legislation (alongside Visitor, Temporary Resident and Permanent Resident). The official source does not state why the permit exists.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The official permit-services page names the Ministerial permit but does not itself describe eligibility, applicant population, or process for it.

Which specific population, role, circumstance or historical/legal situation does it cover?

The Minister may grant a Ministerial Entry Permit only to: (a) a Head of State or Head of Government, or a member of an official delegation or party from another country, during an official visit to Samoa; (b) a person accredited to the Government by another country or by an international or regional organisation; (c) an immediate family member of a person in (a) or (b); (d) a member of a police service, military force or security service of a country declared by Cabinet to be friendly to Samoa; (e) a passenger or crew member of a ship or aircraft carrying passengers or cargo for reward to and from Samoa.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/sam_e/WTACCSAM7_LEG_1.pdf
    (2) Subject to this section, a Ministerial Entry Permit shall be granted by the Minister only to a person: (a) who is a Head of State or Head of Government (howsoever called) or who is a member of an official delegation or official party from a country other than Samoa during an official visit to Samoa by such person; or (b) who is a person duly accredited to the Government by any other country or by an international or regional organisation; or
  • https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/sam_e/WTACCSAM7_LEG_1.pdf
    (c) who is a member of the immediate family of a person referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b); or (d) who is a member of a police service or a military force or a security service of a country declared by Cabinet to be friendly to Samoa; or (e) who is a passenger or member of the crew of a ship or aircraft carrying passengers or cargo for reward to and from Samoa.

What circumstance, event, relationship, nomination, invitation or status activates access?

Access is activated by a grant of the Minister, which may be made to an individual or to a class of persons; a permit granted to a class covers every member of that class, whether or not the person is named in the permit.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Act excerpt does not describe any nomination, invitation or sponsoring step that prompts the Minister's grant.
  • https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/sam_e/WTACCSAM7_LEG_1.pdf
    (3) A Ministerial Entry Permit may be granted to a person or a class of persons and for the purpose of removal of doubt, a Ministerial Entry Permit which is granted to a class of persons shall be taken for all purposes to be a Ministerial Entry Permit for any person who is a member of such class of persons whether such person is named or not named in such permit.

What sponsor, authority, nomination, certification, evidence or other step must occur before the status can be obtained?

The permit may be applied for with or without a written application, as the Minister determines, in a form approved by the Minister. The official source does not state any sponsor, certification or supporting evidence required before the grant.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Act excerpt does not state any sponsor, certification or supporting evidence required before the grant.

What immigration status and rights result, how long do they last, can family be included, and what happens if the special qualifying circumstance ends?

A Ministerial Entry Permit allows entry to Samoa once or more often (as the Minister determines) during the permit's currency and a stay for the period the Minister determines. Entry permits may carry terms and conditions set by the Minister. Unless granted an Entry Permit to undertake employment under Part 8, the holder may not undertake employment in Samoa. The Minister may grant further Ministerial Entry Permits. The official source does not state what happens when the qualifying circumstance ends.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The excerpt does not say what happens when the qualifying circumstance (official visit, accreditation, crew status) ends.
  • Family inclusion is covered only through the immediate-family category of s.15(2)(c); no separate family-inclusion rule is stated.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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